The death of tiny Autumn White should make lawmakers think more carefully about state budget cuts

She insists that there is no indication there's any new kind of ant in Arizona. And to have people even suggesting that such an ant might be here is extremely dangerous.

At the border of Mexico and New Mexico, the state inspectors who do remain are watching for two invasive ant species that have been discovered in New Mexico and Mexico.

One is the Argentine ant, which has been found in Albuquerque, and causes problems for crops; the other is a South American fire ant that wipes out native species with sheer numbers.

Rand Carlson

Now the Department of Agriculture is in damage control mode.

So is the developer who built the homes in the neighborhood where Autumn White died. Two Greystone representatives reminded me last week that it was not the builder's responsibility to eradicate ants around homes they have already sold.

The message being sent by our political and economic leaders is clear:

Don't let a little story about a few ants affect your decision to purchase our vegetables and our cheap homes with desert vistas.